The Green Papers
2012 Poll Closing Times
for Statewide offices and Congress
Electoral College Chronologically
Primary Elections Chronologically
6 November 2012 General Election Alphabetically
6 November 2012 General Election Chronologically
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Polling Hours All Elections
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Polls begin closing at |
This chart reflects the poll closing times used by the networks and other media outlets on Election Night. There is an "unenforced pledge" to not project a winner in a state until that state's polls have closed (which, to the media, means "most of the state's polls have closed"). Below the chart is an outline of potential difficulties which may occur
where a state spans time zones. (Poll closing times are extended
for voters still in line when the hour of poll closing has arrived.) |
The table below counts the electoral votes at LATEST poll closing time for states that span multiple time zones.The EARLIEST poll closing time is shown with blanks in the electoral vote column. (Note that the media has historically called states when MOST rather than ALL of the polls have closed.) |
Electoral Votes |
UTC | Eastern | Central | Mountain | Pacific | Alaska | Hawaii | |
0 total (0 new) electoral votes by 0900 UTC - 4 November 2012 | ||||||||
Northern Marianas | No Electors | 0900 UTC | 4:00a EST | 3:00a CST | 2:00a MST | 1:00a PST | 12:00a AKST | |
0 total (0 new) electoral votes by 1000 UTC - 4 November 2012 | ||||||||
Guam | No Electors | 1000 UTC | 5:00a EST | 4:00a CST | 3:00a MST | 2:00a PST | 1:00a AKST 12:00a AleutST | 12:00a HIST |
0 total (0 new) electoral votes by 2100 UTC - 4 November 2012 | ||||||||
Puerto Rico | No Electors | 2100 UTC | 4:00p EST | 3:00p CST | 2:00p MST | 1:00p PST | 12:00p AKST 11:00a AleutST | 11:00a HIST |
0 total (0 new) electoral votes by 2300 UTC - 4 November 2012 | ||||||||
Virgin Islands | No Electors | 2300 UTC | 6:00p EST | 5:00p CST | 4:00p MST | 3:00p PST | 2:00p AKST 1:00p AleutST | 1:00p HIST |
Indiana (EST) *A | 2300 UTC | 6:00p EST | 5:00p CST | 4:00p MST | 3:00p PST | 2:00p AKST 1:00p AleutST | 1:00p HIST | |
Kentucky (EST) *A | ||||||||
60 total (60 new) electoral votes by 0000 UTC - 5 November 2012 | ||||||||
Florida (EST) *A | 0000 UTC | 7:00p EST | 6:00p CST | 5:00p MST | 4:00p PST | 3:00p AKST 2:00p AleutST | 2:00p HIST | |
Georgia | 16 | |||||||
South Carolina | 9 | |||||||
Vermont *S | 3 | |||||||
Virginia | 13 | |||||||
Indiana (CST) *A | 11 | 0000 UTC | 7:00p EST | 6:00p CST | 5:00p MST | 4:00p PST | 3:00p AKST 2:00p AleutST | 2:00p HIST |
Kentucky (CST) *A | 8 | |||||||
98 total (38 new) electoral votes by 0030 UTC - 5 November 2012 | ||||||||
North Carolina *S | 15 | 0030 UTC | 7:30p EST | 6:30p CST | 5:30p MST | 4:30p PST | 3:30p AKST 2:30p AleutST | 2:30p HIST |
Ohio | 18 | |||||||
West Virginia | 5 | |||||||
270 total (172 new) electoral votes by 0100 UTC - 5 November 2012 This is the earliest at which a candidate could be projected to have been elected the next President of the United States, assuming a candidate has been projected to win the necessary 270 electoral votes to be elected. | ||||||||
Connecticut | 7 | 0100 UTC | 8:00p EST | 7:00p CST | 6:00p MST | 5:00p PST | 4:00p AKST 3:00p AleutST | 3:00p HIST |
Delaware | 3 | |||||||
District of Columbia | 3 | |||||||
Maine *S | 4 | |||||||
Maryland | 10 | |||||||
Massachusetts *S | 11 | |||||||
Michigan (EST) *A | ||||||||
New Hampshire *S | 4 | |||||||
New Jersey | 14 | |||||||
Pennsylvania | 20 | |||||||
Rhode Island *S | 4 | |||||||
Tennessee (EST) *S | ||||||||
Alabama | 9 | 0100 UTC | 8:00p EST | 7:00p CST | 6:00p MST | 5:00p PST | 4:00p AKST 3:00p AleutST | 3:00p HIST |
Florida (CST) *A | 29 | |||||||
Illinois | 20 | |||||||
Mississippi | 6 | |||||||
Missouri | 10 | |||||||
Oklahoma | 7 | |||||||
South Dakota (CST) *A | ||||||||
Tennessee (CST) *S | 11 | |||||||
Texas (CST) *A | ||||||||
276 total (6 new) electoral votes by 0130 UTC - 5 November 2012 | ||||||||
Arkansas | 6 | 0130 UTC | 8:30p EST | 7:30p CST | 6:30p MST | 5:30p PST | 4:30p AKST 3:30p AleutST | 3:30p HIST |
429 total (153 new) electoral votes by 0200 UTC - 5 November 2012 | ||||||||
New York | 29 | 0200 UTC | 9:00p EST | 8:00p CST | 7:00p MST | 6:00p PST | 5:00p AKST 4:00p AleutST | 4:00p HIST |
Kansas (CST) *A | 6 | 0200 UTC | 9:00p EST | 8:00p CST | 7:00p MST | 6:00p PST | 5:00p AKST 4:00p AleutST | 4:00p HIST |
Louisiana | 8 | |||||||
Michigan (CST) *A | 16 | |||||||
Minnesota *S | 10 | |||||||
Nebraska (CST) *S | ||||||||
Wisconsin | 10 | |||||||
Arizona | 11 | 0200 UTC | 9:00p EST | 8:00p CST | 7:00p MST | 6:00p PST | 5:00p AKST 4:00p AleutST | 4:00p HIST |
Colorado | 9 | |||||||
Nebraska (MST) *S | 5 | |||||||
New Mexico | 5 | |||||||
South Dakota (MST) *A | 3 | |||||||
Texas (MST) *A | 38 | |||||||
Wyoming | 3 | |||||||
450 total (21 new) electoral votes by 0300 UTC - 5 November 2012 | ||||||||
Iowa | 6 | 0300 UTC | 10:00p EST | 9:00p CST | 8:00p MST | 7:00p PST | 6:00p AKST 5:00p AleutST | 5:00p HIST |
North Dakota (CST) *A | ||||||||
Idaho (MST) *A | 0300 UTC | 10:00p EST | 9:00p CST | 8:00p MST | 7:00p PST | 6:00p AKST 5:00p AleutST | 5:00p HIST | |
Kansas (MST) *A | ||||||||
Montana *S | 3 | |||||||
Oregon (MST) *A | ||||||||
Utah | 6 | |||||||
Nevada | 6 | 0300 UTC | 10:00p EST | 9:00p CST | 8:00p MST | 7:00p PST | 6:00p AKST 5:00p AleutST | 5:00p HIST |
535 total (85 new) electoral votes by 0400 UTC - 5 November 2012 | ||||||||
North Dakota (MST) *A | 3 | 0400 UTC | 11:00p EST | 10:00p CST | 9:00p MST | 8:00p PST | 7:00p AKST 6:00p AleutST | 6:00p HIST |
California | 55 | 0400 UTC | 11:00p EST | 10:00p CST | 9:00p MST | 8:00p PST | 7:00p AKST 6:00p AleutST | 6:00p HIST |
Idaho (PST) *A | 4 | |||||||
Oregon (PST) *A | 7 | |||||||
Washington *S | 12 | |||||||
Hawaii | 4 | 0400 UTC | 11:00p EST | 10:00p CST | 9:00p MST | 8:00p PST | 7:00p AKST 6:00p AleutST | 6:00p HIST |
535 total (0 new) electoral votes by 0500 UTC - 5 November 2012 | ||||||||
Alaska (AKST) *A | 0500 UTC | 12:00a EST | 11:00p CST | 10:00p MST | 9:00p PST | 8:00p AKST 7:00p AleutST | 7:00p HIST | |
American Samoa | No Electors | 0500 UTC | 12:00a EST | 11:00p CST | 10:00p MST | 9:00p PST | 8:00p AKST 7:00p AleutST | 7:00p HIST |
538 total (3 new) electoral votes by 0600 UTC - 5 November 2012 | ||||||||
Alaska (AleutST) *A | 3 | 0600 UTC | 1:00a EST | 12:00a CST | 11:00p MST | 10:00p PST | 9:00p AKST 8:00p AleutST | 8:00p HIST |
Time zone abbreviations |
UTC: Coordinated Universal Time (Greenwich England) |
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